The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-06-02
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
GEN. GUSTS LEE.
How Tie Was Captured by Two Men OF the 37u
Mass.

How Tie Was Captured by Two Men OF the s'th
Mass.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Maj. A. w.
Day. in a rccently-published article, says:
was then and had been some years, serving
upon the brigade stat 10 whom Gems. Lwell
aud Lee aud others surrendered In TINS
statement he ailrms that Gen Ewell, Gen.
Custrs Lee and Others surrendered TO the First
Brigade of the Third Division of our corps.
Lieut. j. II. Alum takes issue with the Ma
Tor aud as he asks, Who captured theml"
permit me 10 say that if possession is nine
points in law, the Lieutenant seems 10 have
the nine points in his case, because Mai Day
admits that the cavalry had possession. Hence,
il looks as though the cavalry stepped in and
captured Gen. Ewell while the Major was me-
gotiating with Maj. Pegram for their surren-
der.
propose TO take issue with Maj Day on his
proposition that he a his brigade, or any part
of his division, either captured or received the
surrender of Gen. Custis Lee. j have a per-
sonal knowledge Of when and where and by
whom he was captured and forced to surrender.
There was no nag-oi-truce arrangement about
the matter, but Just some of the hottest fight
ing for Is minutes that our regiment ever did.
Other regiments in the corps did good work
that day, aud cOnld have taken Gen. Lee as
well as we had he been in their front; so boys
please don't attack me for saying my regiment
was better than yours.
The stream called Sailors Creek is n marsh
about 100 or more yards wide, with bluffs on
each side. The side upon which we formed
was open and rolling ground. The Conleder
ate side was covered with timber and brush in
which their line was concealed. They had a
fine view OF our line while we were forming in
the open field on our side of the creek.
Our regiment was on the left of the division,
and the cavalry was formed on our left: hence
we were the left infantry regiment in the bat
tie. But the cavalry stuck close to our left and
did excellent work A small branch ran into
Sailors Creek on the Confederate side, coming
down through the timber and having quite
prominent bluffs on its sides RS far back into
the timber as we could see This branch, as
we were formed was $50 yards 10 our left and
had we crossed Sailors Creek in a direct line as
the Coniederates supposed we would, we
would have been caught i'm flank and rear by
brigade placed on this branch by Gen. Gusts
Lee for this very purpose
In crossing Sailors Greek we were forced TO
the left until the right Of our regiment was
opposite the mouth of this branch, where we
found plenty of work TO keep us busy. The
left of the regiment swung around, meeting
with no opposition until il came upon the bank
of the branch within 100 feet of the Confederate
brigade. in all our experience in the war we
had never had ms good fighting ground as this
True, we were but handful of men--only one
regiment of about 250 to 900 of the enemy
but they were below us in a ditch or gully, and
we SO close 10 them that every shot must count
We were armed with seven-shooting Spencer
rifles, all loaded TO the muzzle, because we had
used no ammunition in getting there, and we
worked our guns so rapidly that the enemy
became demOralzed aud some of them wanted
TO surrender As their officers afterward in
formed us they raised a white rag in token Of
surrender
We, surprising they had authority to put ND
Of fris,a a AL
the regiment started down toward them. We
had nearly reached them when we heard their
officers give an order to charge, and they did
charge into as aud through us, or those that
were IN advance, and this is just where our
regiment gQt IN the - minutes of hottest fight
ing it ever saw. The enemy did not have time
TO fire but once, and then they used bayonets
aud dubbed muskets. We used powder and
lead aud MS we had seven shots TO their one
we came out ahead. We made many Of them
throw down their guns and go Go the rear with
out any escort as we had no men to spare TO
send with Them The others we forced back
into the bed of the creek, and as we We're very
mad at the trick they played as with the white
rag, we then and there got our satisfaction out
of them.
The Coniederates when they charged among
ms captured a lot OF our boys These they sent
back 10 the gully, aud we found them there
later and gathered them all in. Among those
l. named Cleary and Riley. They were
caught in the charge and sent into the gully:
their guns were not taken away from them,
and the excitement was great that very little
attention was paid 10 them. They lay down
behind a tree and put their guns under them.
While lying there they put seven good loads
into the magazines OF their guns. They noticed
behind a tree near them an officer of command
ing appearance, and from this judged that he
must be an important man, so they concluded
10 capture him should an opportunity offer.
1n the meantime we had Killed, wounded
and captured nearly all OF those who remained
and the cavalry were making their appearance
In the rear, SO that the rest concluded TO sur
render and we ceased firing The officer be-
hind the tree showed disposition 10 escape,
but oar two boys who were watching were too
quick for him aud demanded his surrender,
and enforced their demand by showing their
guns. dc announced himself as Gen. Gusts
Lee, and asked 10 be conducted 10 a commits
stoned officer that he might surrender his
sword. This request was too much for the
Irish temper of Cleary, and he replied, with
has gun pointed at Gen. Lee " BE Jabbers I'm
the officer OF this squad; give il TO me-" The
General saw 81 WIS not time 10 be particular,
and gave mp his equipments
Such, Maj. Day, Is the history Of the capture
and surrender Of Gen. Gusts Lee T.
WHITE, Co Il, 9th Mass, Fourth Brigade,
First Division, Sixteenth Corps, Taylorsville,
III.